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The politi­cized issue of wear­ing pro­tec­tive face masks took cen­ter stage on the Sen­ate floor as law­mak­ers got into a testy exchange about the protocol.

Alas­ka Repub­li­can Sen. Dan Sul­li­van and Ohio Demo­c­rat Sen. Sher­rod Brown raised eye­brows on Mon­day as the sub­ject of wear­ing masks to pre­vent the spread of the coro­n­avirus became per­son­al. The on-cam­era moment, which earned a scathing rebuke from fel­low Sen. Ted Cruz on Twit­ter, unfold­ed as Brown asked Sul­li­van to put his mask on.

“I’d start by ask­ing the pre­sid­ing offi­cer to please wear a mask as he speaks,” the Demo­c­rat began as soon as Sen­ate Major­i­ty Leader Mitch McConnell gave him the floor.